Polarizer for rifle tube sights



May 29, 1951 R. v. LLOYD PoLARIzER ,FOR RIFLE TUBE sIGHTs Filed Jan. 2l, 1949 ZINVENTCK By Z/ V 0 `%%Mmfmm Trae/viv@ Patented May 29, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE POLARIZER'FOR RIFLE'TUBE SIGHTS RayV. Lloyd, Tacoma, Wash.

Application January 21, 1949, Serial No. 72,015

(Cl. 33,50)V

z Claims.

This invention relates'to gun sights, andmore particularly to a tube sight for rines.

In the use of tube sights, it has been found that when too much light enters the front sight and passes to the back sight, the light in the tube lessons the clear perception of the front sight. The front sight is most effective when the light from the target is perceived through the aperture of th-e front sight and the front sight about the aperture is very dark. It is an object of this invention to provide means within the tube, between the front and back sights, for reducing the excess light entering the front sight to preserve the darkness about the aperture of the front sight.

Another object of this invention is to provide a tube sight having means between the front and back sights for removing the glare on--the sights occasioned by the smooth inner surface of the tube between the sights.

A further object of this invention is to yprovide a tube sight having a pair -of plane, polarized, optical discs between the front and back sights, one disc being rotatable relative to theotherffor controlling the light and glare von the front sight, as viewed from the eye piece or back sight.

With the above and otherobjects in view, my invention consists in the arrangementrcombina tion and details ofconstruction disclosed in the drawings and specification, and'thenmore particularly pointed out in the appended'eclaims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side eleva-tion of va tubefsight` constructed according to an embodiment of --my invention;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal section, taken subY stantially on the line 2 2 of rFigure 1;

Figure 3 is a transverse section taken on thev line 3 3 of Figure 2; I

Figure 4 is a transverse section taken-on the line :1 4 of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a transverse section taken onthe'- line 5 5 of Figure 2; f

Figure 6 is a transverse section taken-ontheline 6 6 of Figure 2;

Figure '7 is a side 'elevationof the rotatable member on which one of the polarized discs is mounted, the member being Vremoved from the assembly;

Figure 8 is a side elevation of the supporting member for the fixed polarized lens or disc, removed from Vthe assembly.

Referring to the drawings, thefnumeral I0 designates generally a tubular gun vsight for rifles and the like, constructed according to anembodiment of my invention. The gun sight I0 comprises an elongated, tubular body member II having a longitudinally-extending bore I2. An outwardly-extending flange I4 is fixed to or formed on the outer side of the body II at the front alongthe length of the tube. The flange I4 is provided for securing the gun sight i!) in a suitable mounting means carried by the rifle.

A front sight member I5 is slidably engaged in the forward end of the tube II. The front sight member I5 is formed of an outer sleeve member I6 which slidably engages in the front end of the tube II. A flange Il is xed to or formed on the front end of the sleeve I6 and is adapted to abut the forward edge of the body II to limit the sliding movement of the front sight member within the tube II. A set screw, I8, threadably engages through the side wall of the the body II and the side wall of the sleeve I'I for fiXedly securing the front sight member I5 in the body. A rear nipple IS threa-dably engages in the inner end of the sleeve I6 and is formed with a peripheral rib or flange 2Q which abuts the inner end of the sleeve I6 to limit the extension of the nipple i9 into the sleeve. An apertured disc 2I having a central aperture 22, is adapted to be supported within the front sight member I5. The disc 2l is adapted to engage the forward end of the nipple I 9, and a threaded, tubular, inner sleeve member 2G is threadably engaged within the sleeve member IB for clamping the disc 2l between the sleeve 24 and the nipple I9. The tubular member 24 threadably engages within the sleeve I6 and is formed with a flange 25 on the extreme forward end thereof.

They disc .2I, which constitutes the forward sight of the tubular sight I0, is preferably made of glass or plastic of any suitable or desired color.

The flanges il and 25 of the sleeves IS and 2li.

are knurled, as noted in Figure 1 of the drawings, to provide for the removal of the disc ZI and for the insertion of a different disc, as desired.

The rear sight 26 is formed with a tubular member 2l slidably engaged in the rear end kof the tubular body II. An eye piece 23 having a reduced-diameter aperture 2@ is threadably engaged in the bore 3E of the member 2? at the rear end thereof. The'member 2'! is formed with a forwardly-extending portion 3| having a reduced outside The bore 3U of the member 21 is continuous through the forward, portion 3 I, as noted in Figure 2 of the drawings.l 66 A set screw 32 threadably engages through the end thereof and extending rearwardly` 3 wall of the tube II and engages in the body 21 for fixing the body within the rear end of the sight. The rear end of the body 21 is provided with a peripheral flange 34 which abuts the rear end of the body I I for limiting the sliding m'vement of the body 21 relative to the body II.

A cylindrical tubular member 35 is rotatably supported within the body I I and is formed with a longitudinal bore 36, the bore 36 having a diameter substantially the same as the outside diameter of the forwardly-extending portion 3l of the member 21 for frictional engagement therein.

The rear end of the member 35 is cut diametrically relative to the body II and the forward end of the tubular member 21 is cut at an obtuse angle relative to the longitudiinal axis of the body II and the member 35.v The relation of the forward and rear ends of the member 35 is clearly noted in Figure '7 of the drawings. A polarized disc 31 is fixed on the forward end of the member 35 and may be secured thereto by screws 38 or other suitable fastening means. The polarized disc 31 is supported in the body II for cooperation with a second polarized optical disc 39 which is adapted to be xedly secured within the body II forwardly of the disc 31. The action of the discs 31 and 39 for limiting the passage of light through the tubular body II will be more particularly described hereinafter.

An outer sleeve 4G is rotatably mounted on the rear end of the body II. The sleeve 40 is provided with an inturned flange 4I at the rear end thereof which is adapted to abut the rear end of the tubular body II and the rear end of the member 21. A set screw 42 threadably engages through a rib 44 about the body 4B and extends freely through a VVgroove 45 in the body II for engagement with the rotatable disc-supporting body 35. The groove or opening 45 in the body II extends peripherally around the body a shortA distance so that the outer member 40 and the inner member 35 may be rotated relative to the body II and to the disc 39 which is fixed against rotation in the body II forwardly of the disc 31.

A short, cylindrical member 46 is engaged within the tubular body I I forwadly of the body 35, for iixedly supporting the polarized disc 39. The body 46 is formed with a bore 41 therethrough, the bore 41 being substantially the same diameter as the bore 36 of the body 35. The rear end of the cylindrical body 46 is formed with longitudinally-extending slots 48 which extend forwardly from the rear end of the body. The slots 48 provide for the outward or radial expansion of the rear end of the plug or body 46 for frictionally securing the body 46 within the tubular body II. The plug 4G is adapted to be substantially secured intermediate the length of the body II by the frictional engagement of the plug with the inner wall of the member II.

An elongated coil spring 50 is adapted to be engaged in the body I! between the polarized disc 39 and the front sight member I5. The coils of the spring 5i! provide inward extensions along the length of the body II to substantially form peripheral ribs for breaking up the smoothness of the surface of the member II with which the light rays entering the forward sight member I5 will come in contact. The light rays entering the front sight member through the aperture 22 will normally strike the smooth inner surface of the body II to be reected within the body II, thereby causing an objectionable glare within the sight.

In the use of tubular sights, it has been noted that the light entering the front sight 22 of conventional forms of tube sights is so reflected within the body II that the rear side of the disc ZI, through which the aperture 22 isA formed, is brightened to a degree where the centering of a target in the aperture 22 is made more dimcult andless positive. By providing the spring 50 between the front and rear sight members of the sight I0, the reflection from the smooth walls of the inner surface of the body I I is thereby overcome. To further minimize the objectionable light within the tube sight I0, the polarized discs 31 and 39 are employed. The one disc 39 is fixed within the body II, while the disc 31 is rotatably supported therein so that the light perceptible through the eye piece 28 may be reduced to the desired degree. By rotating the outer member 40, the member 35, which carries the rotatable disc 31, is also rotated so that the illumination of the target through the aperture 22 may be perceived through the aperture 29 of the eye piece 28, while the disc ZI will appear darkened about the aperture thereof. By making the rear surface of the disc 2| as dark as possible, or as desired, the contrast between the light entering the aperture 22 and the target is more readily noted to be centered in the aperture 29 of the eye piece 28.

I do not mean to confine myself to the exact details of construction herein disclosed, but claim all variations falling within the purview of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A tube sight comprising a tubular body, a front sight member carried by one end of said body, a tubular member rotatably engaged in the other end of said body, said body having a segmental peripheral slot therein overlying said tubular member, an outer sleeve rotatable on said other end of said body, a set screw engaged between said tubular member and said sleeve through said slot connecting said member to said sleeve for limiting rotation together relative to said body, a rear sight member carried by said tubular member, a polarized disc carried by said tubular member, and a second polarized disc in 'said body between said front sight and said first polarized disc.

2. A tube sight comprising a tubular body, a front sight member in one end of said body, a tubular member rotatably engaged in the other end of said body, a reduced diameter extension on the forward end of said member, a hollow cylindrical member open at the opposite ends thereof rotatably engaged in said body and frictionally engaged on said reduced extension for rotation with the tubular member, an outer sleeve rotatable on said other end of said body and connected to said cylindrical member for rotation therewith and with said tubular member, rotation limiting means carried by said sleeve and said body for limiting the rotation of said sleeve on said body, a rear sight carried by said tubular member, a polarized disc carried by said cylindrical member, and a second polarized disc between said front sight and said first mentioned polarized disc.

3. A tube sight comprising a tubular body, a front sight member in one end of said body, a tubular member rotatably engaged in the other end of said body, a reduced diameter extension on the forward end of said member, a hollow cylindricall member open at the opposite ends thereof rotatably engaged in said body and frictionally engaged on said reduced extension for rotation with said tubular member, an outer sleeve rotatable on said other end of said body and connected to said cylinder member for rotation therewith and with said tubular member, rotation limiting means carried by said sleeve and said body for limiting the rotation of said sleeve on said body, a rear sight carried by said tubular member, a polarized disc carried by said cylindrical member, a tubular plug frictionally engaged in said body intermediate the length thereof and a second polarized disc on said plug.

4. A tube sight comprising a tubular body, a front sight member in one end of said body, a tubular member rotatably engaged in the other end of said body, a hollow cylindrical member open at the opposite ends thereof rotatably engaged in said body and with said tubular member for rotation therewith, an outer sleeve rotatable on said other end of said body and connected to said cylindrical member for rotation therewith and with said tubular member, rotation limiting means carried by said sleeve and said body for limiting the rotation of said sleeve on said body, a rear sight carried by said tubular member, a polarized disc carried by said cylindrical member, and a second polarized disc between said front sight and said rst mentioned polarized disc.

5. A tube sight comprising a tubular body, a

front sight member slidably engaged in one end of-said body, a tubular member slidably engaged in the other end of said body and rotatable therein, a second tubular member slidable in said other end and connected to said first tubular member for rotation therewith, an outer sleeve rotatably engaged about said other end of said body and connected to one of said tubular members for rotation therewith, a rear sight member carried by one of said tubular members, a polarized disc on the other of said tubular members, a tubular plug engaged in said body intermediate the length thereof, and a second polarized disc carried by said plug.

RAY V. LLOYD.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 433,323 Bunge July 29, 1890 1,307,912 Long June 24, 1919 1,774,053 Foster Aug. 26, 1930 2,155,436 McNally Apr. 25, 1939 2,242,317 Metcalf May 20, 1941 2,399,658 Banker May 7, 1946 2,408,772 Glasser Oct. 8, 1946 1,476,340 Wallhousen July 19, 1949 

